Slides and Printables.zip

Slides and Printables

Program Videos.zip

Program Videos

7 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Part 1 

03 sec Countdown

2 Min Countdown

Big Story Video

H&R Big Do Slide

30 sec Countdown

Herman and Rusty Part 3

6 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Title

H&R BIG REVIEW Bumper

Herman and Rusty Part 2

H&R 5 Min Countdown with Rules

Herman's friends don't believe that his big dream could actually be an idea from God.


Large Group Full Program

 Question of the Day: What is the silliest dream you’ve ever had?

Optional music for this lesson:
 - Game music for Welcome
 - Soft Instrumental music for Big Story



Prep for Engage 1:

The yellow paper contains helpful tasks. The blue paper contains unhelpful tasks. When a child picks a slip, read it, and have them do what it says.

Yellow Tasks:
 - Pick up paper
 - Stack boxes
 - Fold clothes
 - Arrange the blocks

Blue Tasks:
 - Dump the trash bag
 - Knock over the boxes
 - Throw clothes in the air
 - Make a “snow angel” in the paper



Countdown / Rules

**Co-Host** is sitting on stage in a bean bag chair when the **Host** enters. He/She continues eating cheese puffs while not wearing his/her lab coat.


**Co-Host**
Do you want to lick the cheese off my finger?

**Host**
Never.

**Co-Host**
More for me. Mmm, that is delightful.

**Host**
Why are you sitting on a bean bag chair? We have a fun day at the lab to lead.

**Co-Host**
You go ahead without me. Yep, I’m checking out on this one. Not up to teaching. Thought about it, can’t do it.

**Host**
What about the opening game? The big race.

**Co-Host**
That? I can’t do that. (Pause) Okay, if it will get you off my back, I’ll play something. Don’t expect me to get up from my chair. Bring out the game people.



A team of two boys and two girls enters. One boy and one girl wear shower caps with shaving cream on the top.


**Co-Host**
When I say, “Go,” as unexcitedly as possible, you will have 30 seconds to land as many, uh, what can I use? Oh yeah, these cheese puffs will work. Land as many cheese puffs on the shower cap as possible. Go.



Optional: Play game music

Play the game.



**Co-Host**
Hooray. You won. I’m leaving.

**Co-Host** scoots the bean bag off the stage.

**Host**
Something is up with our friend, and I have a feeling that today’s Big Point will help. First, stand to your feet and tell someone nearby which you prefer: cheese curls or cheese puffs. Let’s see what they are up to in the lab.


Welcome

Worship

Before the Engage, spread the paper, boxes, and other various items around the stage to make it look messy. **Host** enters. **Co-Host** is already on stage, sitting on the bean bag, and shaking out the empty bag.



**Co-Host**
Those six bags of cheese puffs went faster than I expected.

**Host**
Still in the bean bag, I see. Don’t let us interrupt you. (To the kids) Can you believe that Herman’s friends are giving him such a hard time about his dream to provide cellphones to everyone in the world?

**Co-Host**
I know exactly how he feels. That’s why I’m not teaching today. I was excited to teach, and then I saw Rusty’s cousin, Skip. He told me that I wasn’t good enough to teach and that I should give up. That’s when I grabbed the cheese puffs.

**Host**
Didn’t you pray about teaching? (Pause) When you prayed, didn’t you feel like God directed you to do it? (Pause) Then you need to hear our Big Point. I need a volunteer to help us reveal it.



**Host** and **Co-Host** choose a kid to volunteer.


**Co-Host**
You will help us as we count down from three and then read the Big Point… because I am not qualified to read it. 


**Host**
Let’s all say it together, **Believe What God Says!** Do you think that Skip knows more than God?

**Co-Host**
Uh, no, that’s ridiculous. God knows more than anyone.

**Host**
If you really believe that, then you would believe what God says more than what other people say. So, if God asks you to be part of His big plan, then you should believe you can do it. Let me show you what I mean. I’m going to choose some kids to come up here and help me clean the stage. I have some slips of paper in a hat/box. It will tell you what to do. You have to do what it says.


Inside the hat place the slips of paper. The yellow paper contains helpful tasks. The blue paper contains unhelpful tasks. When a child picks a slip, read it, and have them do what it says.

Yellow Tasks:
 - Pick up paper
 - Stack boxes
 - Fold clothes
 - Arrange the blocks

Blue Tasks:
 - Dump the trash bag
 - Knock over the boxes
 - Throw clothes in the air
 - Make a “snow angel” in the paper



**Co-Host**
It’s like the blue tasks undid all of the good stuff they accomplished.

**Host**
(To the **Co-Host**) That’s what happened when you listened to Skip. It’s good to listen to wise people, but if someone disagrees with what God has said, then I’d ignore it and believe what God says. Let’s see if Herman makes that choice.



Engage 1


**Host**
I think Herman’s on the right track with his dream to help people.

**Co-Host**
Yeah, but his friends still don’t believe in him. I have to admit, I’m still struggling to follow our Big Point, 



**Co-Host**
**Believe What God Says!**


**Host**
It might help you to hear what the Bible says about why we can believe the incredible things that God says. Let’s reveal the Big Verse.



**Co-Host**
Help us count down from three and then you’ll read the verse. 

**Co-Host**
Isaiah 55:9 (NIrV) says, “My ways are higher than your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”

**Host**
Sometimes we’re limited by our own thoughts. But if we believe God’s thoughts, we can go so much higher. Let me show you what I mean, and I’m going to need some help.


Choose two kids to help. Give them each a helium balloon. One balloon should have a short ribbon or string attached. The other balloon should have ribbon that can go almost to the ceiling. Have each kid hold the balloon until you instruct them to let it rise.


Engage Slides - gbp-elem-l2-engage-2-slide-a.jpg

**Host**
Let me tell you about Matt and Kelly. They are missionaries who, at one time, moved to other countries because they wanted to help kids learn about Jesus. They had a big idea. So, they got to work creating curriculum and teaching in churches in Africa and South America.

Have a kid release the shorter balloon while holding on to the string.


**Co-Host**
That’s a cool idea.

**Host**
It was, but God had a bigger idea for them. He brought them back to the U.S. to serve at The Ark Church in Texas.

**Co-Host**
That doesn’t make any sense. How are you going to help all of those kids if you’re not there with them? Isn’t that like the big idea failing?

**Host**
I could see how you might think that, and if they had listened to some people instead of God, they might have believed that. But that’s when God gave them a big idea to build playgrounds in countries where kids don’t have them. 

Engage Slides - gbp-elem-l2-engage-2-slide-b.jpg

**Host**
They take playgrounds from the U.S. and ship them all over the world. Then they put them up for kids to play on. That has helped them share Jesus with tons of kids.

**Co-Host**
So their big idea became a lot bigger?


Have the child release the other balloon while holding on to the longer string.



**Host**
They had a great idea, but because they listened to God and believed what He said, they made a bigger difference.

**Co-Host**
I guess we really can trust God, even when we don’t understand.

**Host**
Exactly. When God speaks, listen. Let’s take a moment to stand and worship God.




Engage 2

Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes. You may have never even thought about what God wants you to be or what dream He wants you to dream. This might be a brand-new idea. That’s okay. This is a great time to think about God’s big plan for your life. His plan is full of good things for you, big dreams, stuff so great you can’t even imagine it. Right where you are, I want you to take just a moment to chat with God. Ask Him to show you the big dreams He has for you. Ask God to give you scriptures, Bible stories, thoughts, and dreams that show you the big plan He has for you. Let’s do that now. (Pause) Continue to talk to God each day and trust that God will show you more and more things about His great plan for your life. Let’s stand and praise God for giving us big dreams.


Big Story

**Co-Host**
It sounds like Herman will help a lot of people with his big idea.

**Host**
Actually, with God’s big idea. Herman followed the Big Point, 


**Host**
**Believe What God Says!**

**Co-Host**
I’ve decided to skip Skip’s advice and listen to God. I’m going to keep teaching because that was God’s idea. Thanks for your help.

**Host**
Glad to do it. You can share what you’ve learned today when you do this week’s Big Do.

**Host**
You get to play a game where each person in your family shares three different things about themselves. Here’s the catch. Only one of those three things is true. See if you can guess the right one, and of course, tell everyone the truth at the end.

**Co-Host**
Let’s practice that today. We’ve chosen some adult volunteers to share three things about themselves, and you guys will guess which one is true by holding up one, two, or three fingers. 



Bring a few adult volunteers on stage and have them share three things about themselves. Have the kids respond with which one they think is true. 



**Host**
We may hear lots of different things from different people, but the One we should always believe is God. He will never lead you in the wrong direction. Let’s turn and connect with our small groups and talk about what we’ve learned.



Engage 3

Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following. 


 - Do you think it was hard for Joseph to share his dreams with his family? Why?

 - How would you respond if God gave you an idea, like Herman, but your friends told you that you were crazy?

 - What are some ways that we can hear God speak to us?

 - What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? **Play a game with your family guessing which statement is true.** 


Small Group

Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question. 

 - Our Big Point says, Believe What ______ Says!
	-**God**
	-Your Friend

 - What did Herman dream of giving to pastors around the world?
	-Pens
	-**Cell Phones**

 - Herman’s friends thought he was crazy for believing the big dream.
	-**True**
	-False

 - How did God speak to Joseph in the Big Story?
	-Out loud
	-**Dream**

 - In Joseph’s dream he was the _____ of his family.
	-**Leader**
	-Follower

 - Complete the Big Verse: Isaiah 55:9 (NIrV), “My ways are _____ than your ways. My thoughts are ______ than your thoughts.”
	-Lower
	-**Higher**


 - Why is it important to listen to God more than you listen to other people?

 - God won’t speak to you and share His big plan like He did with Joseph.
	-True
	-**False**

 - Name one way that God can speak to you.

 - What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? **Play a game with your family guessing which statement is true.** 

Big Review

Midweek / Classroom

Question of the Day: What is the silliest dream you’ve ever had?



Optional music for lesson:
 - Game music for Lab Wars
 - Soft instrumental music for Big Story


Engage 2 prep: print and cut the engage activity sheets into card game for each small group.

Hey, everyone, welcome to the Lab! Have you ever wondered, “Why am I here? Does God have something important for me to do?” The answer is, “Yes!” God has a big plan to show His love to the world, and you and I get to be a part of it! You can trust that His plan is the best plan. What a great reason to worship Him! Let’s do that now!



You guys did a great job worshipping God! It’s now time to break up into your small groups. Go ahead and turn to your small group leaders now. 

Play optional game music.

Small Group Leaders, use these two minutes to introduce yourself to your kids and go over the rules you have for your group. This will set the expectation and show the kids clear boundaries, setting your group up for success. The ball can be used as a tool to signify whose turn it is to respond.


It’s time for Lab Wars! This is a time where each small group will battle it out to win 5,000 points! Tonight everyone will play a game in your small group. Each group has a hula hoop. Your team will stand in a circle and hold hands, with two people holding hands through the hula hoop. When I say, “Go,” your team will have to travel the hula hoop around your entire circle by having each person step through the hoop. Some groups are smaller than others, so those groups will go twice. Small group leaders, when your team has completed the task, raise your hand! Everyone, stand up and get in position. On your mark, get set, go! 

Congratulations to the winning group! That was a fun game! In order to succeed, each group formed a strong chain that couldn’t be broken. Just like each member of the group was a part of the chain, we are all a part of God’s plan. When we work together and do our part, we see God work in incredible ways. How do we know what our part is? I am glad you asked. That is what we will discover tonight, but first, let’s check in with the Lab. I heard it’s blessing week at Dr. Herman’s church, and he’s trying to come up with an idea of how to be a blessing to others! 
 


Lab Wars

Can you believe that Herman’s friends are giving him such a hard time about his dream to provide cellphones to pastors around the world? It sounds like his idea could be from God! God has a plan for you, and He will let you know what it is. Our job is to believe what He tells us is true. That is exactly what Herman is doing, and it’s also what our Big Point is all about. I need a small group to help me count down from three to reveal what it is. (Choose a small group) Let’s count it down: 

**Believe What God Says!** When God tells us something, we can know that it is true. This makes me think of a fun game: two truths and a lie. Each of you will take turns saying three things about yourself, two that are true, and one that is not. As a group, decide which are the truths! Let’s do this now. 


Play the classic game, two truths and a lie. You go first. Share two things about you that are true and one thing that is not. Have the group guess which one is a lie. Afterwards have the kids take turns doing the same thing. 


Raise your hand if you found that game to be a little tricky! Sometimes it can be hard to know if someone is telling you the truth. The great thing about God is that He cannot lie. He only tells the truth. So, if God asks you to be part of His big plan, then believe you can do it. When you do, you follow our Big Point, 


I think Herman’s on the right track with his dream to help people, but his friends still don’t believe in him. Hopefully he can convince them of our Big Point, 

**Believe What God Says!**

When God says you can do something, He means it! Are you still not convinced? Take a look at our Big Verse. I need a small group to help me count it down from three. (Choose a small group) Ready, 

Isaiah 55:9 (NIrV) says, “My ways are higher than your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” Sometimes we’re limited by our own thoughts, but if we believe God’s thoughts, we can go so much higher. There are tons of people in the Bible who were used by God in incredible ways because they believed what He told them. Let’s play a classic matching game and talk about their stories. 


Place the cards face down in the center of the group. Have the kids take turns looking for a match. When a match is found, read the paragraph that goes with the card.

Noah: God told Noah to build an ark to save his family from a flood before he even saw a drop of rain. Noah believed what God said and his family was saved.

Peter: Peter had fished all night and didn’t catch a thing. Jesus told him to toss his net on the other side of the boat. He listened to Jesus. When he did, he caught so many fish his nets were bursting!

Boy with his lunch: Jesus asked for some food to feed a crowd of thousands of people. All a little boy had was 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread, but he gave it anyways. Jesus prayed over his lunch, and it multiplied, enough to feed all the people and have left overs!

Elijah: Elijah believed God would show everyone He was real by sending fire from the sky to burn up a sacrifice. He stood his ground in front of people who didn’t believe, and God came through.  

Abraham: God gave Abraham a son in his old age. God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Even though he didn’t understand, Abraham obeyed, and God provided a ram and spared Isaac. Because Abraham obeyed, God blessed him and made his descendants so many that he couldn’t count them. 

Daniel: Daniel followed God’s word, even though he faced death. Because he followed God, he was thrown in a den of lions. God came through and kept the mouths of the lions shut!

David: David believed that God would fight for him. When a giant named Goliath cursed God and His people, David chose to fight him and won!

Joshua: God told Joshua that He would help him defeat the city of Jericho. God told him to march around the city and give a great shout, so that’s what he did, and the walls of the city crumbled. 



God had a part for each of these people to play. When they listened to what God told them, they were blessed! God wants you to be a part of His big plan, too. When He tells you that you can do something, remember our Big Point, 



**Believe What God Says!** Let’s listen to a story in the Bible about a guy named Joseph. God told him that he would be a great leader. Let’s see what happened. 



You may have never thought about what God wants you to be or what dreams He wants you to dream. This might be a brand-new idea. That’s okay. This is a great time to think about God’s big plan for your life. His plan is full of good things for you, big dreams, stuff so great you can’t even imagine it. Let’s turn to our small groups and talk more about this.

The goal in this segment is to create a place where kids can openly share and to bring accountability to becoming more like Jesus. Do this by truly listening, responding with love, and showing them what it looks like to be a friend and follower of Jesus. The ball can be used as a tool to signify whose turn it is to respond.


 - Have you ever wondered, “Does God have a plan for me?”

 - God showed Joseph that He had a plan for him. What does that mean for you and me? That God has a plan for us, too. 

 - What are some ways that we can hear God speak to us? By reading His word, praying, through people, through dreams, etc.



Let’s take a moment and pray. Ask God to show you how you can be a part of His amazing plan. Let’s do that now. (Give them a moment to pray) Now I would like to pray for you as well. (Pray over your group)



Raise your hand if you had a thought or idea come to you while you prayed. If that idea was a way to show love or to help others, that is God speaking to you! Now it’s your job to say, “Yes!” Even if it sounds crazy, follow our Big Point and 

**Believe What God Says!** If you didn’t have a thought or idea, don’t worry. Continue to talk to God each day and trust that God will show you more and more things about His great plan for your life. 


God gave Herman a big idea. Because Herman decided to follow our Big Point, he is going to help a lot of people! You can follow our Big Point, too! When God tells you to do something, follow our Big Point and...

This week our Big Do is a game you are already familiar with. Teach your family how to play Two Truths and a Lie! Have each member of your family share three things about themselves, two things that are true, and one that is not. Then take turns guessing which ones aren’t true! Then talk about how you can believe everything God tells you because it is always true. Let’s turn to our small groups to finish up today’s service.


Use this time to hand out any positive reinforcement tools (ie. Candy, stickers, prize coupons, etc.) Tell your group how much you enjoyed spending time with them this week. Finally, end your time together with a prayer and maybe even a group cheer.


Closing

 - Our Big Point says, Believe What ______ Says!
	-**God**
	-Your Friend

 - What did Herman dream of giving to pastors around the world?
	-Pens
	-**Cell Phones**

 - Herman’s friends thought he was crazy for believing the big dream.
	-**True**
	-False

 - How did God speak to Joseph in the Big Story?
	-Out loud
	-**Dream**

 - In Joseph’s dream he was the _____ of his family.
	-**Leader**
	-Follower

 - Complete the Big Verse: Isaiah 55:9 (NIrV), “My ways are _____ than your ways. My thoughts are ______ than your thoughts.”
	-Lower
	-**Higher**


 - Why is it important to listen to God more than you listen to other people?

 - God won’t speak to you and share His big plan like He did with Joseph.
	-True
	-**False**

 - Name one way that God can speak to you.

 - What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? **Play a game with your family guessing which statement is true.** 


Large Group Abbreviated

**Co-Host**
Do you want to lick the cheese off my finger?

**Host**
Never.

**Co-Host**
More for me. Mmm, that is delightful.

**Host**
Why are you sitting on a bean bag chair? We have a fun day at the lab to lead.

**Co-Host**
You go ahead without me. Yep, I’m checking out on this one. Not up to teaching. Thought about it, can’t do it.








**Host**
Something is up with our friend, and I have a feeling that today’s Big Point will help. First, stand to your feet and tell someone nearby which you prefer: cheese curls or cheese puffs. Let’s see what they are up to in the lab.



**Host**
Let’s all say it together, **Believe What God Says!** Do you think that Skip knows more than God?

**Co-Host**
Uh, no, that’s ridiculous. God knows more than anyone.

**Host**
If you really believe that, then you would believe what God says more than what other people say. So, if God asks you to be part of His big plan, then you should believe you can do it. It’s good to listen to wise people, but if someone disagrees with what God has said, then I’d ignore it and believe what God says. Let’s see if Herman makes that choice.




**Co-Host**
Isaiah 55:9 (NIrV) says, “My ways are higher than your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”





**Host**
Sometimes we’re limited by our own thoughts. But if we believe God’s thoughts, we can go so much higher. 
Let me tell you about Matt and Kelly. They are missionaries who, at one time, moved to other countries because they wanted to help kids learn about Jesus. They had a big idea. So, they got to work creating curriculum and teaching in churches in Africa and South America.

**Co-Host**
That’s a cool idea.

**Host**
It was, but God had a bigger idea for them. He brought them back to the U.S. to serve.

**Co-Host**
That doesn’t make any sense. How are you going to help all of those kids if you’re not there with them? Isn’t that like the big idea failing?

**Host**
I could see how you might think that, and if they had listened to some people instead of God, they might have believed that. But that’s when God gave them a big idea to build playgrounds in countries where kids don’t have them. 

**Host**
They had a great idea, but because they listened to God and believed what He said, they made a bigger difference.

**Co-Host**
I guess we really can trust God, even when we don’t understand.

**Host**
Exactly. When God speaks, listen. 




**Host**
You get to play a game where each person in your family shares three different things about themselves. Here’s the catch. Only one of those three things is true. See if you can guess the right one, and of course, tell everyone the truth at the end.

**Co-Host**
That sounds tricky!




I'm Part Of God's Big Plan Week 1

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Large Group Full Program Instructions

Large Group Full Program Instructions